Conveyer



Patented Dec. I3, |898.

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Patented Dec. I3, |898. A. H. BICHNER.

C 0 N V E Y E R.

(Application led Feb. 26, 1898.)

(N0 Model.)

s Sheets-sheet 2. v

l W/T/VESSES L? Mza THE Nonms 21ans co.. Pnofauma.. wAsmNcroN. u. c.

Patented Dec. I3, |898.

nm E N .H m nn H. A. 8. 4 7.. .b 0. N

C 0 N V E Y E R.

(Application led Feb. 26, 1898.)

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

TN: nckms Prrcns co. PnoYaurno., WASHINGTON. D. n.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

ANDERSON II. RICHNER, OF CRAWFORDSVILLE, INDIANA.

CONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No; 615,748, datedDecember 13, 1898.

Application led February 26, 1898. Serial No. 671,773. (No model.)

T all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, ANDERSON H. RICHNER,

v a citizen of the United States, residing at Crawfordsville, in thecounty of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have'invented newand usefulImprovements in Conveyers, of which the following is a specification.

'Ihis invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inconveyers of the endless-chain type which are adapted for use inconveying or carrying grain, stone, ores, or other material from a binor receptacle to a machine or conveyer, the object of my invention beingto provide a convcyer in which the endless chain can be readily adjustedand the slack thereof taken up and to generally improve the constructionand reduce the cost of manufacture of an apparatus of this type.

The invention consists in the construction and general arrangement ofthe parts, as will be fully set forth, and specifically pointed out inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly insection, showing a conveyer constructed in accordance with myimprovement. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2. Fig. 3 is aside elevation, partly in section, showing a further modilication of myimprovement. Fig. 4f isan end View on the line 4 4, and Fig. 5 is asectional view showing one of the flights in engagement with the shoe ortrip.

A refers to a suitable bin or receptacle which is provided with a closedway or passage A', which passes through the bin and is open at both endsfor the passage therethrough ofa chain B, which has attached theretocarriers C. The chain B passes over sprocket-wheels D F J J thesprocket-wheel D being mounted on a shaft E, to which is also attached adrive-pulley E', said pulley being at a considerable distance to oneside of the sprocket-wheel D. The shaft E is mounted in bearing-blocksE2, which are rigidly supported, and between said blocks theconveyer-chain B passes, and upon the shaft is mounted a pair 'of beamsor bars F', which are connected to each other, said beams having journaled between the same the sprocket- Wheel F. It will be noted bythis arrangement that the beams or bars F are fulcrumed upon the shaft Eand are between or adjacent to the inner side of the bearing-blocks E2.

I refers to a tightening-screw one end of which is pivotally attached orotherwise secured to a support, and this screw passes through theconnecting-block at the upper ends of the bars or supports F', ahand-Wheel I being provided for drawing the bars toward the fixed end ofthe screw, sc as to tighten the chain. The sprocket-wheels J J aremountedon suitable-shafts, which may be supported by the side pieces ofthe bin, and, as shown in Fig. 1, they may be approximately on a linewith the sprocket-wheels D F, and the sprocket-wheels may be cut away inthe usual manner to permit the carriers to enter the recesses in theperiphery of said sprockets.

' G refers to a shoe or trip which is attached to the lower ends ofthebars F and projects therefrom and is adapted to engage with the carriersand tilt the same, so as to entirely free the chain from anymaterialwhich may accumulate thereon before the chain passes over thedrive-sprocket attached to the shaft E. In order to lubricate thebearings of the shaft to which access cannot be had readily, I providetubes or pipes H, which extend from the bearings upward.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the bin A is rectangular at its upper portion,and below the way or passage therethrough the sides converge or areV-shaped, which bin may have a metallic bottom or strips upon whichtravels the chain B, which will carry the material out of the open endof the bin or hopper to a suitable chute, and said bin or hopper isprovided with a slide or door K, which maybe :raised or lowered tochange the size of the discharge-opening.

In Fig. 3, which is an amplification of Fig. 1,the device is providedwith movable sprockets and adj ustin g-screws, the sprockets beingmounted outside of the bin or hopper. In this view I have also shown thechute or spout from the bottom of the hopper to a conveyer or elevator,which passes through a'hollowtube spout P, for conveying the materialupward, as in a grain-elevator. The improved conveyer hereinbeforedescribed may be used for many purposes, and in practice the bin or IOOhopper A may be located beneath an opening in a floor or in a box, andgrain or other material when passed through said opening will fall intothe bin, box, or hopper through which the carrier-chain passes, and thematerial will be fed out of the bin, boX, or hopper through an openingnear the end of the same, so that it may be carried to a chute ordirectly to a machine-as, for inst-ance, when used `for conveying cornit may deposit the corn upon the cobs to a corn-Sheller or in carryinggrain may take the grain to an elevator. In practice the bin or hoppermay be of considerable length, so as to receive material from manyopenings in the floor above or from many separate dumps, and but asingle chain is used, having carriers rigidly attached to links withprojecting portions, the carriers being shaped to conform to theconfiguration of the bottom of the bin or hopper. Owing to the greatlength of the chain, there will be sufficient give to the same to permitthe carriers being inclined when they engage with the shoe or trip G.

The device hereinbefore described is susceptible of numerousmodifications and reorganization of the parts from what has been hereinshown. A

The sprocket-Wheels over which the conveyer-ehain passes are of theordinary type, and the carriers or flights attached to the chain are cutaway centrally, so as to clear the teeth and sides of thesprocket-Wheels. It will be noted that the flights or carriers projecttoward the sprocket-Wheels.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a conveyer,the combination with a bin or hopper,havin g a passageor chainway therethrough, of a conveyer-chain, and sprocket- Wheelsmounted so as to guide the chain through the chainway and over thebottom of the bin or hopper, a bar or post fulcrumed at one end 011 theshaft of the driven sprocket, a trip for the flights of theconveyer-chain carried by the bar or post, and a threaded bar and itsnut for moving the bar upon its fulcrum to tighten the eonveyer-chain,substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a conveyer, the combination with a series of sprocket-Wheels, of aconveyer-chain having a series of inwardlyprojecting carriers, a bar orsupport upon which is journaled a pair of the series of thesprocketwheels, and atrip positioned in the path of the carriers of thechain, substantially as shown.

3. lIn a conveyer, the combination, with a bin or hopper having acovered passage or chainway therethrough, of a carrier-chain, sprocketswhich guide the chain through the chainway and over the bottom of thebin or hopper, a support for one of the sprockets ful crumed upon theshaft of the driven sprocket, means for adjusting the support to tightenthe carrier-chain, and a trip carried by the support so as to be engagedby the carriers of the chain, substantially as shown and for the purposeset forth. i

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

ANDERSON II. RICHNER.

Witnesses:

J. W. RICHNER, J. O. FINCH.

